Counter-forming machine



F. JONES. COUNTER FORMING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 27, I918.

Patented June 14, 1921.,

6 SHEETSSHEET I.

A F. JO ES. COUNTER FORMING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED FEB. 27. .1918- Patented June 14, 1921.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

A. F. JONES.

COUNTER FORMING MACHINE.

APPucATiox man FEB. 27. ms.

Patente June 14 1921.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

A. F. JONES. COUNTER FORMING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 27,1918.

Patented 111116 14, 1921.

6 SHEETS-SHEET JONE v comma FORMING MA APPLMAUOR FELED FEB. 2?, 2918.

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Patented Jun 14, 1921.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

I A. F. JONES. COUNTER FORMING MACHINE.

APPLICATION' FILED FEB. 27. 1918.

1,381,126. Patented'June 14,1921.

6' SHEETSwSfi skit 61.

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ALBERT F. JONES, F SALEM, MASSACHUSETTS.

COUNTER-FORMING- ivmonrnn.

Application filed February 27, 1918. Serial No. 219,353.

My invention relates to an automatic machine for forming shoe counters.

In general an automatic counter forming machine comprises a hopper in which a store of counter blanks, which have been previously clam shelled, are held until they are taken singly to be bent into shape; a die and jaws between which the blank is placed and pressed into the desired form, and a wiper which forms the flange on the formed counter.

Various means have been devised for transferring a blank from the hopper to the forming dies to be operated upon. The dies between which the blank must be placed, in their open position, are usually arranged but a comparatively small distance apart, and the transferring means for the blank must necessarily bend, or at least support the blank in approximately its final formed condition in order that the blank may be inserted between the forming dies. It is extremely ditlicult to flex the blank into approximately its desired form, and to hold it in said form while it is being transferred from the hopper to its position between the forming dies; and none of the machines constructed for operation with such a trans ferring means have been entirely successful in commercial operation. I

An obiect of my invention is in the pro vision of means whereby the blank may be taken from the hopper and transferred to its position between the forming dies in its original shape as taken from the hopper, and supported in position between the dies until the final forming pressure is exerted upon the blank.

In accomplishing this object of y invention, instead of so arranging the forming dies that in their open position there is a comparatively small amount of space between them, I arrange my dies so that the power actuated die is drawn entirely free from the female die. I provide a carrier for the blank which is so arranged as to pick a blank from the hopper and transfer t to a point above the power actuated die. When the blank is in this position the poweractuated die is arranged to move upward mto the female die, and at the same time the carrier for the blank is arranged to also move upward, thereby supporting the blank in position above the die in its upward movement. The carrier for the blank is arranged to maintain its en a ement with the blank during the for ini iw part of the operation of the machine, whil the blank is being bent between the dies of the machine. Previous to the final pressin of the blank between the dies, the carrier arranged to release the blank and return to pick another blank from the hopper.

it has previously been common practice to form the flangeon the counter by means of a wiper which is slidably arranged on the faces of the male and female die, the male die being slightly. recessed from the face ofthe female die in order to provide a space for the material composing the flange. ll ith such an arrangement a shear mg force is exerted upon the material of the blank which is designed to form the flange, and many of the blanks are torn or cut by the wiper in the flange forming operation.

Furthermore, after the flange is formed, the forming dies and the wiper are arranged for movement toward each other to compress the material composing the flange, in order that it may be strong and rigid. In order to provide meansfor movement. of the flange toward the forming dies, there iiust or necessity be an initial space between the winer and the dies, and in the pressing movement the material composing the flange tends to flow into this space, and the finished counter is formed with a ridge at its bottom portion.

A further object of my invention is in the provision of means whereby the flange may be formed upon the counter without setting up excessive shearing stresses in the material composing the flange, thereby permitting the flange to be formed without breaking or shearing of the material.

A still further object of my invention is in the provision of means whereby pressure may be exerted upon the flange, and there will be no ridge or imperfection formed in the finished counter.

The means whereby I accomplish these objects of my invention is in the provision of a wiper which is slidably arran ed over the face of the female dies and fixed against relative sidewise motion therewith, and in the provision of a male die, the width of which is somewhat less than the space between the female die, whereby there is ample room forthe bending of the material in the wiping process to form the flange without any tendency toward the shearing or the breaking of the material composing the counter.

I further provide a female die and a wiper secured thereto with means for movement relative to the male die to provide for the pressing of the formed flange. In the movement ofthe female die relative to the male die, the wiper with the formed flange is moved against the stationary side of the male die, and the flange is pressed between the male die and the wiper. Inasmuch as the wiper is arranged on the face of the female die without any space therebetween, there can of consequence be no place for the material composing the flange of the counter to flow during the, pressing operation; and therefore a smoothly formed counter is secured.

Other objects of my invention relate to the construction and arrangement of parts whereby the pressing and forming operations are accomplished, and in the means for transferring the counter blanks from the hopper to the carrier.

Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of the counter forming machine embodying my invention, along the lines 1-1 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 2 is a sectional plan view along lines 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a front elevation of Fig. 1, with the hopper removed.

Fig. 4 is a front elevation of the female dies and wiper.

Fig. 5 is a front elevation of Fig. 4, with the wiper removed.

Fig. 6 is a front elevation of the counter blank carrier.

Fig. 7 is a plan detail of the counter blank carrier jaws.

Fig. 8 is a detail showing the carrier jaws in the bent condition of the counter.

Fig. 9 is a sectional detail of the jaws and operating means therefor.

Fig. 10 is a sectional detail of the'forming dies and wiper in operated condition.

Fig. 11 is a plan detail of the means for rotating the counter blank carrier.

Fig. 12 is a side view of Fig. 11.

Fig. 13 is a detail of the cam and gears for rotating the carrier.

Fig. 14 is a detail of means for abstracting a blank from the hopper in semi-operated condition.

Fig. 15 is a detail of means for abstracting a blank from the hopper in operated condition.

Fig. 16 is an end View of the hopper.

Fig. 17 is a plan detail of a hopper end.

Fig. 18 is adetail of means for stripping the formed counter from the die.

Fig. 19 is a formed counter.

As here shown, the component parts of the machine are arranged upon a frame composed of angle irons 20, and include a shaft 22 horizontally arranged in the lower part of the framework, and provided with a pulley 23, by means of which the machine may be driven by some source of power not necessarily shown. A gear at is fixed on said shaft 22, and meshes with a gear 25 secured on second cam shaft 26, pivoted in bearings 26' of the frame of the machine. Said shaft 26 bears cams hereinafter to be more fully described, for compressing the formed blank between the dies. A beveled gear 27 is fixed to the end of said shaft 26, and meshes with a second beveled gear 28 secured to the end of a shaft 29 journaled in bearings 30 secured to the frame of the machine. 7

. Said shaft 29 has secured thereto cams for controlling the movement of the forming die,'hereinafter to be more fully described. A. beveled gear 31 is arranged on the end of said shaft 29 opposite the end thereof carrying the beveled gear 28, and said gear 31 is arranged to mesh with a second beveled gear 32, which is secured to the vertically arranged shaft 83, journaled in bearings fixed to the frame of the machine. Said shaft 33 has fixed thereto cams for operating the wiper and the formed counter removing means. Said vertically arranged shaft 33 extends beyond the gear 32 secured thereto, and terminates in a beveled gear 35 which is in mesh with a second beveled gear 36 fixed to the end of a cross shaft 37 arranged at right angles to said shaft 33, and pivoted in bearings 38 secured to brackets 39 bolted to the lower part of the frame of the machine. Said shaft 37 carries cams by means of which the counter carrier is operated, and the means for transferring the individual counter blanks from the hopper to the carrier are also operated.

A clutch member 40 is fixed to said power driven shaft 22 for movement along said shaft, and is arranged to be in engagement with a second clutch member ell loosely arranged on said shaft 22, to thereby drive said clutch member l1. A gear 42 is secured to said clutch member 41, and is in mesh with a gear 43 secured to ashaft 44 pivoted in bearings 45 on the frame of the machine. Said shaft 44 is arranged to operate the forming dies, as will hereinafter be more fully described.

The power actuated die 46 is shaped to conform with the formed counter, and is secured to a slide 47 which is slidably arranged between ways of a block 49 secured to transverse members of the frame of the machine. A block 50 is secured to said male die 46, and has a. socket or cylindrically shaped bearing portion 51 in the lower portion therein, in which the cylindrically formed end 52 of an eccentric rod 53 is arranged. Said rod 53 is arranged about an eccentric 54 secured to the shaft 44 of the machine.

Previous to an initial operation the die is a ranged in its lowest position, as shown in Fig. 1, and said shaft 44 is arranged to be without rotation, being arranged for connection with the power driven shaft, the clutch members 40 and 41 being in disengagement.

hen said clutch is thrown into engage ment by cams to be hereinafter more fully described, the eccentric is caused to rotate 180, and to bring the forming die 46 into position between the female dies, and to carry with it the counter blank 55, which has bee moved into position above said die 46 and moved upward substantially simultaneously with the upward movement of said die.

The female dies comprise two blocks 56 arranged in a die head 57, supported above said male die 46. Said female dies comprise jaw members shaped to conform with the formed counter, and are pivoted together at 57. Links 58 are pivoted at 59 to said jaws and to rods 60 extended through said die head 57. Spring supports 61 are secured by suitable means to each jaw 56, and a tensile spring 62 is extended between said member 61 to normally maintain said jaws open to their maximum extent.

In the operation of forming the counter the male die, over which is disposed the blank is moved'into the space between said jaws 56; the blank 55 being also moved between said jaws by means hereinafter to be more fully described, and engages the upper portion of said jaws, and with the continued upward movement, the jaws 56 are moved upwardly; and by means of the toggle action formed between said jaws 56 by the arrangement of said links 58, a very strong pressure is exerted upon the blank 55 arranged therebetween to strongly press the material composing said blank.

-When the die 46 reaches the farthermost part of its upward movement, the clutching mechanism is arranged to be thrown out, and the die remains in this upward position during the formation of the flange on the counter, and the compressing operation of said flange. The male die 46 is arranged to beef somewhat less width than the female dies, whereby there i a space between the front face of the male die and the face of the wiper in the engaged position of said dies. over the face of said female dies 56 in a front plate 64, which is secured by suitable bolts 65 over the front face of the die head 57. The lower wiping edge of the wiper 63 is provided with a curved portion 63, whereby a more satisfactory wiping action is obtained, and there is less tendency to shear or tear the material forming the flange of the formed counter.

A link 66 is pivotally connected to said wiper at 6'7, and is also connected to an arm 68, which is secured to a shaft 69 pivoted in bearings 70 supported by an extended member 71 of the frame of the machine. Said shaft 69 has fixed to its outer end a circularly formed cam 75, by means of which the wiper is moved for the wiping operation and for the return operation.

The means for operating the wiper comprise extended arms 7 3, whichare fixed to the vertical shaft Said arms bear on their outer extremitiescam rollers 74, which are adapted to engage the cam to operate the wiper. Saidarms 73 are so angularly related to each other that the operation of the wiper comes in correct sequence to the operation of the other componentv parts of the machine. The cam faces of said cam 75 are arranged to be on an arc swept out by the cam roller 74.

' It may be seen that by the arrangement thus described, the engagement of the roller carried by the top extended arm 73 with the cam 75 serves to move the wiper downward and to thereby form the flange on the material held between the forming dies and the lower extended arm serves to move said wiper in the reverse sense, to thereby return it to its original position.

The die head 57 is formed with two bosses 76 thereon, in which are secured two rods 77, which extend upwardly through bosses Said wiper 63 is slidably arranged 7 8 in a die head holder? 9, and are slidably arranged therein. Said rods 77 are provided with threaded upper ends and nuts 80 are adjustably secured thereon to adjust the position of said die head below'said holder 79. By means of the sliding connection of the die head with the die head holder, the die head is permitted a certain amount of restricted upward movement in the act of forming the counter, caused by the engagement of the female dies carried therewith with the upwardly moving male die. The amount of upward movement is adjusted by the nuts 80 on said threaded rod 7 7 In the normal position of the die head 57 its weight is sufiicient to maintain it in a proper position above the male die 46,

whereby, in the upward movement of the male die, the counter blank 55 may be bent into shape and a certain amount of pressure exerted upon it.

After the wiper 63 is descended to form the flange on the formed counter, the entire die head 57 with the wiper, is arranged to be moved bodily toward the right, Fig. 1, whereby the flange on the formed counter is compressed between the extended male die 46 and the face of the wiper 63. In order that this result may be accomplished, a rod 81 is pivoted at 85 to cars 86 rearwardly extended from the die head, and a block 87 is slidably arranged thereon; the relative position of said block with respect to the pivot 85 of said rod 8% being adjusted by means of the nut 88, which is threaded on said rod 8%.

Said block 87 is formed with a spherical bearing surface or seat 89, in which the spherical end 90 of a strut 91 is inovabiy arranged. The other end 01'' said strut 91 is also provided with a spherical extremity 92 which is arranged in a correspondingly formed seat 93 in a link 94 pivoted at 95 to a part or the frame of the machine. Said strut 91 and the rod 841 form, in effect, a toggle whereby a comparatively great force may be exerted upon the die head 57 to move it rearwardly, and thereby compress between the wiper 63 secured thereto and the male die 16 the flange of the formed blank.

The end of said link 9 1 is formed with a bearing surface 96 which, in the upwardly extended position of the male die, is arranged to abut against the back portion of the slide 17 to which said die is secured; and therefore forms an abutment against which the compression force is exerted.

The means hereby said toggle "formed of the members above described may be operated comprises a link 97 which is pivoted at 98 to an arm oi a bell crank lever 99, pivotally arranged 011 a shaft 100 secured to the frame 01 the machine. A downwardly extended arm 101 is also pivotally arranged on said shaft 100, and bears at its lower extremity a roller 102 which is arranged to be engaged by a earn 103 to compress the tormed flange of the counter. -Sa1d arm 101 18 relatively connected to the bell crank lever 99 by means of the bolt 104:, and the compression spring 105, which is arranged over said bolt 10a, and therefore the movement of Said spring 105 is relatively inflexible,

and serves mamly as a yielding element only when the machine has been so improperly adjusted as to cause an excessive strain to be brought upon the various links and levers in the compression of the flange. The timing cam 103 is so arranged that the arm 101 is moved only after the male die 16 has'been moved upwardly its limit of travel, and stopped in said upward position, and the wiper 63 has descended to form the flange of the counter. The movement of said arm 101 is transmitted through the bell crank lever 99 and the link 97, to cause an upward movement of said rod 81 pivoted to the die head 57.

Inasmuch as the end 96 of said link 91, in the upward position of the die 46, abuts against the'rear face of the slide 17 to which said die is secured, the die head 57 is moved rearwardly and thereby strongly compresses the flange oithe formed counter between the front face 015 the male die 46 and wiper 63.

The die head 57 isnormally maintained in its lower position with respect to the die head holder 7 9 by means of two struts 106 and 107, which are pivotally connected together by a ball and socket oint, and form in eflfect a toggle. The lower strut 107 is pivotally arranged in a socket of the link 108, which is pivoted at 109 to rearwardly extended ears or the die head holder 79. Said link 108 is provided with a lower bearing surface 110, which is normally in engagement with a bearing portion 111 of the die head holder. The lower strut 107 is provided with an extension 112, through which is passed a bolt 113 on which is arranged a compression spring 11 1, one end of which is secured to said bolt 113 and the other end of which bears against a portion of the die head holder 79.

Said spring 111 is similar in design and operationto spring 105 previously described, and is, in effect, a safety unit to prevent abnormal stresses in the various parts of the toggle and die head due to improper adjustments of said dies.

The bell crank lever 83 is provided with a downwardly extended arm 115 on which is mounted a cam roller 116, which is in engagement and designed to be operated by the cam 117 secured to the shaft 26. Said cam 11'? forms means whereby the short arm of said bell crank lever 82 may be downwardly moved to correspondingly move the female dies toward the extended male die, to thereby compress the' formed counter therebetween, and said compression is transmitted through the nearly straightened toggle formed of links 106 and 107 to said die head 57.

The compressing of the flange caused by the sidewise movement of the female dies, and the compression of the body of the counter is arranged to take place practically simultaneously; and the cams 103 and 117, controlling the compression of the flange and body of the counter, are correspondingly relatively so arranged as to accomplish this effect.

Said cams are provided with dwell portions, whereby the pressure may be exerted for a length of time sufficient to firmly compress the material composing the counter, in order that it may retain its compressed form indefinitely when the pressure is removed.

The timing of the operation of the male die, whereby it has a period of rest in its lower position and another period of rest in its upper position, is controlled by a cam 118 arranged on the shaft 29. Said cam engages with a roller 119 secured on the end of a lever 120 pivoted at 121 to an extension of a bracket 122 secured to the frame of the machine. The other end of said lever 120 is pivoted at 123 to two rods 124, whichare secured to cone 125 slidably arranged on the shaft 22. Said rods are returned to their unoperated position by the spring 124'. Said cone, in a movement toward the right, Fig. 2, caused by said cam 118, serves to move levers 126 to cause the engagement of the component parts of the clutch 40 and 41, to transmit a movement of said shaft 22 to the eccentric shaft 44. In a movement of the cone in an opposite direction governed by the cam 118, the clutch is consequently released and the die 46 remains in position and themovement of said die is arrested. The earn 118 is so timed that the rest periods of the die occur at the two two extreme portions of the stroke.

After the counter has been formed and the wiper has been moved to its original upward position, it is necessary to strip or remove the formed counter from the male die. The means whereby the formed counter may be removed from the die includes the finger .128, which is secured to the end of an arm 129 which in turn is fixed to a shaft 130 pivotally arranged in bearings 131 secured to the plate of the die head 57.

In the operation of stripping the counter from the die 46, the shaft 130 is caused to rotate in its bearing to bring the finger 128 in slidable engagement with the front face of the die 46 in the top position thereof, and said finger 128 is caused to bend slightly upward in order that the edge thereof may closely engage the front face of the die. As said die is moved downward, carrying with it the formed counter, the fltnge of said counter is forced over the end of said finger 128, and as said finger is arranged to be without downward -motion, the continued downward movement of said die causes the die to be withdrawn from the formed counter and allows the formed counter to be supported upon said finger 128.

A cross strip 132 is secured to the lower part of said finger 128, and is arranged to engage the lower portion of the flange of the counter to steady the flange as it is held on the finger. After the counter has been entirely stripped from the male die 46, the shaft 130 is rotated in the reverse sense by means to be more fully described, and the counter is carried on said finger 128 from position between the dies.

The outward movement of said finger bearing the formed counter is arranged to be arrested rather suddenly,'in order that the inertia of the counter may be sufficient to clear itself from said finger and fall into a convenient receptacle. In order that said shaft 130 may be rotated to correspondingly move the finger 128 into stripping contact with the die, and to carry the counter supported thereon away from position between said die, said shaft isprovided with a gear 133, which is fixed thereto, and the teeth of which are in mesh with a rack 134 which is slidably arranged in supports 135 secured to the front plate 65 of the die head 57 One of said supports 135 is provided with an extension 136 thereon, to which is pivoted a bell crank lever having an arm 137, which is in engagement with said rack 134. Said arm 137 is formed with a slot 138 therein, in which is arranged a pin 139 secured to said rack, and which forms means whereby the angular motion of said arm 137 is transfe'rred into linear motion in the rack 134. The other arm 140 of said bell crank lever is providedwith a roller141 thereon, which is in engagement with the cam 142 secured to the vertical shaft 33. Said cam is so timed with relation to the movement of the dies and other component parts of the mechanism, that at some time after the forming operation of the dies the bell crank lever is so moved as to rotate the shaft 130, to cause the engagement of the finger '128'carried thereby with the front face of the male die 46; and when said die 46 moves downwardly the formed counter is consequently stripped from the die and held by said finger 128.

A tensile spring143 is connected between said cam 134. and the support 135, and serves to rotate said shaft in the reverse sense to remove said stripped counter from the'position between the dies and deposit it in the receptacle.

. The hopper in which the counter blanks are held before being taken s g y herefrom to the forming dies, is formed of a substant1ally rectangular cross section and has a bottom portion 145, which 18 curved to substantially conform with the shape of the blank for the major part ofits length. Adjustable side plates 146 and a top plate 147 are arranged in said hopper to permit the accommodation therein of blanks of differ ing dimensions, and said side plates 146 are provided with laterally extended rods 148, which are slidably arranged in bosses 149 in the hopper to admit of theadjustment of said plates. Said plates may be secured in any adjustment by a set screwor other convenient means.

The top plate 147 is similarly provided with. a rod 150, which is slidably arranged in a member 151 for movement to and from the bottom of the hopper, whereby it may be adjusted for different widths of blanks, and is also provided for longitudinal adjustment, whereby but the end blank may be exposed beyond the end of the top plate.

This adjustment is secured by providing the member 151 with a rod 152, which slidably arranged in a cross member153 of the hopper, whereby the top, plate may be moved longitudinally of the hopper, and se cured in any desired position by means of the set screw 154. The end of the top plate is curved to conform substantially to the curvature of theblank.

Two somewhat resilient pins 155 are upwardly extended from the base 145 of the hopper, and forms stops against which the blanks within the hopper are held. The hopper is pivoted at 156 to an adjusting memher 157, whereby the angle of the hopper may be varied to provide the proper relation between the hopper and the correlated parts of the mechanism. Said member 157 is provided with a rod 158, which is slidably arranged in a boss 169 secured to the ends of arms or brackets 160 attachedto the frame of the machine; whereby the entire hopper may be moved in a vertical plane, and the height of the hopper may be thereby adjusted.

Means are provided for extracting a single blank from the hopper. For this pur pose a brush arm 161 is provided on. its end thereof adjacent the hopper with a plurality of wire teeth 162, which are adapted to be pressed into a blank in the movement of said brush arm to abstract the blank therefrom. Said brush arm 161 is pivoted at 163 to an arm 164 of a bell crank lever, which is pivoted on a shaft 165 supported from the frame of the machine; The other arm 166 of said bell crank lever is provided with a roller 167, which isarranged to'be in engagement with the surface of the cam 168 secured to the shaft 37. Said brush arm 161 is also pivoted at'some point 169 the wire teeth 162 to a link 17 O which is pivoted at 171 to an arm 172 journaled on a pivot 173 supported from the frame of the iachine. Said arm 172 is provided with a roller 173 which is in engagement with a cam 174, also fixed to said shaft 37. Said brush arm 161 is arranged, by means of said bell crank lever and link just described, to have two independent motions; one about its pivot 163 with the arm 164 of the bell crank lever as a center, and one about its pivotal connection at 169 with the link 170 as a center.

In the operation of the brush arm 'to abstract a blank from the hopper, said arm 172 is caused to move upwardly byits cam 174, the bell crank lever remaining stationary and the arm 161 consequently turning about the pivot 163 as a center, to move the teeth 162 carried by said arm into contact with a blank held in said hopper, the position of said arm 161, at the moment of engaging with a blank, being shown in Fig. 14. V

After a blank has been secured upon the teeth 162 of the brush arm, it is necessary that said arm be moved away from. said hopper in order that the brush arm may be permitted to move downwardly to .deposit the blank in a holding means to be hereinafter described. For this purpose the cam 174 is provided with a dwell portion, to permit said arm 172, governing the initial movement of said brush arm 161 to remain stationary, and the bell crank lever comprising arms 164 and 1.66 is actuated by its cam 168 to more said brush arm 161 away from the hopper, the brush arm swinging about the pivotal connection 171 within the arm 172. After the brush arm has been moved to its position away from the hopper, both cams are arranged to release their respective arms substantially simultaneously to permit the brush arm to drop to its original position, as shown inFig. 1, and to deposit the blank in the holding means.

As the brush holder descends to its lowest and unoperated position, the blank carried on the teeth thereby isbrought into contact with two somewhat resilient pins 175 secured touprights'176 extended from the arms 160, and the blank is consequently stripped from the teeth.

Pins 177 are extended from said uprights 176 to assist in supporting said deposited blank in substantially upright relation. Arms 17 8 are pivoted at 17 9 to the extended brackets 160, and a roller 180 is associated therewith, which is arranged to engage the surface of cam 181. After said blank has been deposited on said pins or extensions 175, the cam 181 which is secured to said shaft 37 is arranged to move said arms 178 against said blank to hold it against said pins 177. Said arms 17 8 are provided with exten d rod 2, up n which s slidah y thereon intermediate its length,

to a cross member 186 extended between the arms 160 of the machine. Said arms 18& are arranged on each side and beneath the blank hopper. Links 187 are pivotally connected between said arms 184C and the ends of an arm 188 supported on a shaft 189. Springs 190 are arranged between said arms 184 and a stationary part of the machine structure, to normally draw said arms 18a inwardly toward each other. The shaft 189 is bent to form a portion 191, which is arranged to be engaged by one of said arms 178 in a movement thereof to open position, to consequently open said centering arms 174 against the action of the springs 190.

In a movement of said, arms 178 toward enagaging position with the blank, said springs 190 serve to move said centering arms 18% inwardly toward each other, and to thereby center the blank arranged between said arms. After the blank is centered it is held by the arms 178 until the carrier is moved into engagement with said'blank and lifted away from its position between said holding arms. The blank carrier, by means of which the blank is transferred from its position beneath the hopper to its position between the forming dies, includes jaw carrier 192 which is secured to the end of a shaft 193. Said jaw carrier 192 supports two jaw frames 194 arranged on each side thereof and which are secured to shafts 195 journaled in bosses 196 of said carrier. Springs 197 are arranged upon the extended ends of said shafts 195, and ends thereof are attached to said shafts and to said carrier 192, and serve to normally maintain 'said jaw frames 19 1 in the extended position shown in plan in Fig. 7; and set screws 198 are provided by means of which the adjustment of said jaw frames may be varied to provide for the gripping of blanks of different curvatures.

Said jaw frames 194 are formed with a stationary jaw 199 and a movable jaw 200, which is pivoted to the stationary jaw at 201. The blank is arranged to be engaged between said stationary and movable jaws. Said blank is prevented from being inserted between said jaws beyond a predetermined amount by its engagement with a flange 202 of said jaw carrier 192. The movable jaws 200 are provided with extended arms 203 on the extremities of which are arranged gear teeth 20 1, which engage with corresponding teeth on arms 205, which are fixed to shafts 206 pivoted between the outer member of the jaw frame, and hubs 207 secured to said frames at 208. Said arms 205 are provided beyond said shafts 206 with rollers 209, which are maintained in engagement with cams 210 fixed to shafts 211 pivoted between the parallel side members of said jaw frames.

A spring 212 is coiled around each shaft 206, and one end is in engagment with said arm 205 to thereby maintain said roller 209 carried at the end thereof in engagement with said cam. Each hub 207 is provided with a plurality of holes 213, into any one of which the end of the spring 212 may be placed to vary the tension of said spring and to consequently vary the force with which said jaws engage the blank. Said shafts 211 are extended beyond the frame of the ma chine, and are provided with extensions 214;, which are adapted to engage means hereinafter described to cause the movement of said cams to open the jaws to release the blank or to permit the springs 212 to close the jaws to grip a blank.

The pivotal arrangement of said jaw frames 194: with respect to the jaw carrier 192 is such that as the blank is bent in the process of shaping the blank, the jaws corre spondingly bend to follow the movements of the blank, and Fig. 8 shows the jaws in the shaped condition of the counter and in condition for the release of the counter.

It is, necessary that the carrier be moved from a position in which it engagesthe blank deposited betweenjthe holding arms 178 and the pins 177, and a position in which the blank is arranged above the male die 46, as shown in Fig. 1; and it is also necessary that means be provided whereby said blank may be moved substantially vertically upward at the same time as the die 16 is moved upward, andto maintain substantially the initial relation between said blank and saiddie while said blank is being bent to its final form, previous to having the flange formed thereon.

To accomplish this object, the shaft 193 is supported by a member 215 to which are piv-- oted two parallel links 216 and 217,'which extend toward the rear of the machine. Link 216 is pivoted at 218' to one end of an arm 219 which is pivoted to a shaft 220 supported I by a fixed part of the frame. Link 217 is also pivoted to said shaft 220. That portion of the arm 219 between its pivotal connection with the shaft 220 audits pivotal connection with the link'216 at 218 is arranged to be parallel with that portion of the member 215 to which the blank carrier is supported. Said arms and links consequently form a parallelogram, and provide means whereby a straight line motion of the blank 55 may be obtained abovethe die 46.

A link 221 is pivoted at 222 to the free end of said arm 219, and is also pivoted 223 to the arm 22% of a bell crank lever which 'is supported on the pivot 225. The other arm 226 of said bell crank lever is provided with a roller 22?, which is arranged to be in engagement with a cam 22S. Said bell crank lever and connections between the arms 219 form means whereby the carrier may be moved between position adjacent the hopper to a position adjacent the forming dies.

A link 229 is pivoted on the shaft 230, which serves to unite the link 217 with the member 215, and is pivotally arranged at 231 with the arm 232 of a bell crank lever, which is pivoted at 233 to a fixed part of the machine. The other arm of said bell crank lever bears at its end a roller 235, which is in engagement with a cam 233 fixed on the shaft. 37. Said bell crank lever and link form means whereby the parallelogram above described may be actuated to vertically move the blank to a position between the forming dies.

It is seen that upon a movement of said bell crank lever comprising arms 232 and 234 in such direction as to cause the end 231 to move upward, that the members compris ing the parallelogram will be correspond ingly moved upward; and, owing to the particular relation of the various parts of the parallelogram, the blank 55 held by the carrier is given an approximately straight line motion. Duringthis upward movement of the carrier the arm 219 is maintained without movement by the provision of a suitable dwell on the governing cam 223. hen the carrier with its blank has been moved upward into position between the forming dies, the cam 228 permits the bell crank lever comprising arms 224 and 226 controlled thereby to move said member 215 about its pivot 230 downward to engage a new blank held between-the holding arms 178; the pivotal connection 230 during this movement being maintained in elevated position by means of a suitable dwell portion in the cam 236 which controls the upward movement of said point in the parallelogram.

After the carrier has been moved clownwardto engage a new blank, both cams opcrate substantially simultaneously to return the parallelogram to its normal unoperated position.

Inasmuch as the jaws of the carrier must be moved from position to grip a blank held between the holding arms 178 to a position adj aeent the forming dies, it is evident that the carrier must be rotated substantially 189 while it is being moved between its two extreme positions. To provide means whereby this result is accomplished the shaft 193. upon which the carrier is mounted is rotatably supported in the member 215, and a gear 237 is fixed to the end thereof, which meshes with a gear sector 238 secured to the end of a shaft 239, which is rotatably arranged between lugs 240 of said member 215.

.A pin 241 is downwardly extended from one 242 encircled about said shaft 239, one end.

of which is secured thereto by means of a collar 243, serves to normally maintain said sector against said stop 241 to thereby maintain the jaws of the carrier in the position shown in Fig. 1.

An arm 244 is secured to the upper end of said shaft 239, and is provided with a roller 245 thereon, which is adapted to engage the cam surface of a bracket 246' extended from the frame of the machine, and arranged in the path of movement of the member 215 as it is moved from position adjacent the forming dies to a position to enable the carrier to pickup another blank. In such movement of the member 215 the roller 245 engages the cam surface of said bracket and causes the shaft 239 to rotate to correspondingly rotate the shaft 193 and the carrier thereon through approximately 180, to a position to enable the jaws to engage the blank held between the holding jaws 178 and the pins 177.

The means whereby the cams 210 may be operated to open or close the jaws to permit the disengagement of the jaws from the formed counter, or to permit the engagement of-the aws with a blank, includes pins 246 secured to a shaft 247 rotatably arranged in a member 248 secured to the shaft 193 which supports the carrier. An arm 249 is secured to said shaft 247 which is arranged to be engaged by means to move said shaft and consequently move said pins 246 into engagement with the pins 214 arranged on the ends of the cam shafts 211.

In the formed position of the counter, in which the jaws of the carrier are bent into the position shown in Fig. 8, the pins 214 on said shafts211 are arranged in proximity to said pins 246, and consequently a move ment of said shaft in the proper direction will serve to rotate said shafts 211 to move the cams 210 carried thereby in the proper direction to open the jaws and thereby release their grip on the counter.

Said arm 249 secured to the shaft 247 is arranged to be engaged by the end 250 of a lever 251 which is pivoted to the front frame of the machine. The other end of said lever 251 is provided with a roller 253, which is in engagement shaft 33.

Said roller 253 is maintained in normal engagement with a cam by means of the spring 255, which is extended between. said lever 251 and a stationary part of the machine. The cam 254 is so timed in relation to the other component parts of the machine that it serves to actuate said arm 251 to cause the end 250 thereof tobe depressed to open with the cam 254 secured to the vertical 7 the jaws of the carrier at some time subsequent to the initial forming operation, but before the wiper operation.

After the jaws have been opened to release their grip upon the formed counter and the carrier has been moved into position to engage a counter blank, and the blank is positioned between the open jaws of the carrier, it is necessary that the cam shaft controlling the movement of the jaws be again operated to cause them to close and grip the counter blank.

The jaw closing means comprise the two arms 256, the upper ends of which are arranged to be adjacent the pins 214; of the cam shafts 211 of the carrier in the lowest position thereof. Said arms 256 are pivotally mounted on shaft 17 9 extended between the brackets 160 of the frame of the machine, and a roller 257 is associated therewith which is arranged to be in engagement with cam 258. Said cam is arranged to cause the upper ends of said arms to move inwardly to rotate the cam shafts 211 to cause the jaws to close and grip the formed blank. 7,

In the operation of the machine, assuming the hopper to be filled with blanks, the brush arm 161 is arranged to swing about its pivot 163 to engage a blank and remove it from the hopper, and then drop downward and strip the blank from the teeth of the brush arm between the holding pins 171 and the holding arms 178. The holding arms 178 are then arranged to move inwardly to lightly engage the blank, and at the same time the centering arms 18% are arranged to-be operated to center the blank. The carrier is moved downward from an operated position to a position over the edge of the counter, and the jaw closing means is operated.

The carrier is now moved upward about the pivot 230 of the member 215 as a center, and at the same time the jaws of the carrier are rotated by means of the spring 242 to approximately 180", so that when the carrier is in the position shown in Fig. 1, the blank will be positioned above said male die t6, which has been previously stopped by its clutching mechanism in its lowest position.

The clutch is now thrown in by its cam 118 and the die moves upward. time the arm 232 of the bell crank lever, connected to the member 215 through the link 229, is also moved upward and serves to substantially simultaneously move the carrier upwardly in an approximately straight line' above the die 46 and into position between said die 46 and the female dies 56. Said blank is now formed between said dies, and

the jaws of the carrier are moved to conform with the bend of the blank.

The cam 118, controlling the clutching At the same interval of time in said raised position.

After the die 46 has attained its maximum height, the blank carrier is arranged to have its jaws tripped by means of the mechanism actuated by the cam 254:, and the carrier is moved downwardly into position over a blank, which has been previously deposited by means of the blank abstracting mechanism in the holding means; and thecarrier, during this downward movement, has been rotated by means of the cam face of the bracket 24:6 to the required position.

The wiper now descends to form the flange on the blank, and remains'in its operated position during the pressing operation of the flange. The material in the body of the formed counter is now arranged to be compressed, and the die head 57 is consequently 117 on the shaft 26, which engages the roller 7 116 carried by the end of the arm 115 of said bell crank lever. At the same time, the die head is moved bodily toward the right by means of mechanism actuated by the cam 103 secured to said shaft 26, which serves to strongly compress the formed flange between the front face of the die416 and the wiper 63. The cams are arranged to have dwell portions thereon to permit the pressure to be applied to the material composing the counter for an appreciable length of time, in order that the counter may retain the desired form after the pressure is released. The pressure is now released from the blank and the wiper is returned to its initial position.

The counter stripping means, including the finger 128 is now moved into position beneath the flange of the counter, and the die 46 is moved downward. In its downward movement the flange of the counter is forced over the finger 128, and further downward movement of the die causes the counter to be stripped from the die. The finger 128 is now moved by means of the mechanism controlled by the cam 142 to position away from the forming dies, and its movement rather suddenly arrested, whereby the inertia of the formed counter is sufficient to cause it to remove itself from the finger and fall into a convenient receptacle.

1.In a counter forming machine, male and female dies to shape the counter, and a wiper slidably arranged with respect to said female dies to form a flange on the counter, said female dies and wiper being movable as a unit to compress the flange between the wiperand male die.

2. In a counter forming machine, male and female dies to form the counter, and a wiper associated with one of said dies to format flange on the counter, said wiper and associated die being movable as a unit, relatively to said other die, to compress the flange between the wiper and said other die. 3. In a counter forming machlne, a male die, a female die, and a wiper slidably associated with said female dieto form a flange on the counter, said female die being movable transversely of said male die to comdie, a female die, a wiper slidable over the face of said female die to form a flange on the counter, and means to move said female die and wiper transversely of the male die to compress the flange betwen the wiper and male die.

5. In a counter forming machine, a male die, a female die pivotally suspended from a support, a wiper slidable over the face of said female die to, form a flange on the counter, and meansto move said suspended die and wiper transversely of said male die to compress the flange between said wiper and male die.

6. In a counter forming maehine,a male die, a female die, a die head supportingsaid female die, a wiper slidably arranged in said diejhcad over thekface ofsaid female die,

means to move said male die into said female die to shape a counter blank arranged between said dies, means to move the wiper to form a flange on the blanks, means to move said die head transversely of said male die to compress the formed flange between said wiper and male die, and means to move said die head'toward said male die to compress the formed counter.

7. In a counter forming machine, forming dies between which the counter is formed, a wiper to form a flange on the counter, and a finger movable into sliding engagement with the face of one of said dies and maintained without movement during a movement of the male die from engagement with the female die to thereby strip the formed counter from the die, and thereafter movable with a the counter disposed thereon to a remote from the forming dies.

8. In a counter forming machine, forming dies to shape the counter, and two pairs'of jaws to engage a counter blank and place it between said dies, and jaw-supporting means which admits of a relative movement of said pairs of jaws while gripping the blank to position permit the bending of the blank by said dies.

9. In a counter forming machine, forming dies to shape the counter, a blank carrier, two pairs of jaws to grip the blank adjacent the ends thereof, and means which admits of movement of said pairs of jaws relative to said carrier whereby said counter blank may be bent into shape by said forming dies while being held by said jaws.

10. In a counter forming machine, male and female dies, a blank carrier arranged to pick a blank from a holder and transfer it to a position above said male die in its retracted position, and means to move said blank carrier toward said female die in ap proximately a straight line at the same time the male die is extended toward said female die, to position said blank between said dies for the forming of the counter.

11. In a counter forming machine, a hopper for a store of counter blanks, a holdblank between said dies, means for forming a flange 011 said shaped blank, means to move said dies transversely relative to each other to compress the flange, means to move the female die relative to the male die in its extended position to compress the body of the counter, and means to strip the formed counter from the dies.

12. In a counter forming machine, male and female dies between which the counter is formed, the formed counter being arranged on and movable with one of said dies in its, movement toward a retracted position, means engageable with the formed counter to arrest the movement of said counter during the retractin movement f'said die, to thereby cause the counter to be detached from the die, and means to move the aforesaid means withthe counter away from said dies. 1 v a 13.. In a counter forming machine, a

female die and a male die,'means to rela-' tively move said dies to such a position that the male die isentirely out of the female die, whereby an unformed blank may be placed between said dies in such position,

a holderfor unformed blanks, a carrier to carry an, unformed blank to a position between said dies, and means to relatively move said male die within said female die thereby bend and form the blank into a counter,-

male die in its forming osition, and female die-moving means to su sequently move the female die toward the male die to compress the formed counter body.

15. In a counter forming machine a male die and a female die, the male die being movable into and out of the female die, means for delivering a blank in position to be acted on by the dies, means to move the male die into the female die to form the body of a counter between said dies, said means having provisions for rigidly supportin the male die in its forming position, and female diemoving means to subsequently move the female die toward the male die to compress the formed counter body, said female cliemoving means having provisions for exerting a yielding pressure on the female die to compensate for any thickness of the blank.

16. In a counter forming machine, a male die and a female die, means to position an unformed counter blank between said dies in the open position thereof, means to move the male die into the female die to first bend and then form the body of a counter, said means having provisions for rigidly supporting the male die in its forming position, and female die-moving to subsequently move the female die toward the male die to compress the formed counter body.

17. In a counter forming machine, a male die and a female die, means to position an unformed counter blank between said dies in the open position thereof, means to move the male die into the female die to first bend and then form the body of a counter, said means having provisions for rigidly supporting the male die in its forming position, and female die-moving means to subsequently move the female die toward the male die to compress the formed counter body, said female die-moving means having provisions for exerting a yielding pressure on the female die to compensate for the thickness of the blank.

18. In a counter forming machine, a male die, a female die, a movable die head supporting the female die, means to move the male die into the female die to shape a counter blank interposed betweensaid dies, said means being organized to rigidly support the male die in its forming position, and means to move the said die head toward the male die tocause the female die to compress the formed counter against the rigidly supported male die.

19. In a counter forming machine, a male die, a female die, a movable die head supporting the female die, means to move the male die into the female die to shape a.

counter blank interposed between said dies, said means being organized to rigidly support the male die in its forming position, and means to move the said die head toward the male die to cause the female die to compress the formed counter against the rigidly supported male die, the last-mentioned means including a lever oscillatable on a fixed fulcrum and havinga longer and a shorter arm, said arms being at opposite sides of the fulcrum, a power driven cam acting on the said longer arm and pressureimparting connections between said shorter arm and the die head, said connections having provisions for exerting a yielding pressure on the die head to compensate for any thickness of the blank.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ALBERT F. JONES,

Witnesses:

T. T. G EENWOOD, H. B. DAVIS. 

